AISD Bond - 2017

[lzppjb]

Do those of you who live within the AISD zone typically vote For or Against their bonds?

A couple months ago, they released their new Facilities Master Plan: https://www.austinisd.org/fmp

Basically, they need something like $4 billion to get all the schools and facilities up to snuff. They know they can't ask for that all in one bite, so they are trying to ask for it in smaller bond packages every 5 years or so.

Right now, they are working on the first package, which they hope to agree upon on June 19, and get before the voters this November. They're aiming for $900-950 million, and doing so without raising the tax rate.

Over the next 2 years, AISD will be paying the State that same amount of $900 million through recapture (aka Robin Hood). The only way to make sure money stays in the district is with bonds.

Here is the list of projects the FABPAC is considering for the first bond:





These are screenshots of the Materials from the May 24 meeting: https://www.austinisd.org/advisory-b...abpac/meetings

Bowie HS is looking at a major renovation, including additional classrooms (multi-story), athletic wing, fine arts expansion, cafeteria expansion, and possibly even a parking garage.

Austin High and Anderson High are also on the short list of high schools looking at major renovations in this first bond package.

I know this isn't highrise-related, but it's Austin-related, and important to our community. Would love to hear any insight y'all may have, or rumors/info you can share.

[smt1]

http://www.statesman.com/news/local-...PGFFwgnHM0IyM/

[brando]

Who knows if it will pass. The people who come out and vote in odd years are those are are much more tuned into local politics.

The Travis County Courthouse bond failed in 2015 by less than 1,000 votes.
The City of Austin Low Income Housing bond passed in 2013 after previously being voted down.

[lzppjb]

Bowie High School Phase I



Austin High School



https://www.aecomconnect.com/AISD/bondscenario.html

[Novacek]

I'm not sure I like AISD spending so much on new facilities while enrollment is decreasing, but I'm inclined to vote in favor of it just to stick it to the legislature, if nothing else.

Though I think I'm voting against the county bond. Most of the money is coming from Austin and the other cities, and none of it goes to city residents.

[eskimo33]

I tend not to vote for them because over the last couple of years AISD has commissioned a couple of reports about various things, and it seems like most of them say that the district needs to do a better job managing their bond money(at least that is what a good friend told me)and nothing seems to change.

[eskimo33]

Plus quit spending money on damn athletics and focus on teaching!

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by eskimo33

Plus quit spending money on damn athletics and focus on teaching!

Kids play sports. It will not and should not stop. With that being said, do you think they should be placed in small locker rooms where staph infections are likely? Bowie has outdated locker rooms. The football team has 2 or 3 guys sharing a locker. Just a couple years ago, a staph infection spread through the team in the middle of the season. And that's at one of the newer high schools in the district! Only Akins is newer.

Athletic fields get worn out. They have to be replaced. If not, kids get injured. Have you ever run on a turf field with the seams all jacked up? ACL tears waiting to happen. You'd rather that happen?

BTW, AISD does concentrate on teaching. The latest tests show that the district is not only above average in results in Texas, but in the nation. And that's with a majority of the students being economically disadvantaged, or English is their second language.

AISD is not the district spending $70 million on a football stadium, like in Katy. AISD spends so little on athletics compared to a lot of districts, especially those surrounding us.

In this bond, they actually decreased a lot of athletic spending that was originally wanted so they could appease voters like you. House Park is in disrepair, but instead of spending $10 million on it, which covers all projects needed, they cut it down to like $2 million and put the rest on the back burner.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by eskimo33

I tend not to vote for them because over the last couple of years AISD has commissioned a couple of reports about various things, and it seems like most of them say that the district needs to do a better job managing their bond money(at least that is what a good friend told me)and nothing seems to change.

Maybe. I haven't seen this report. I do know that the last couple of bonds have had projects come in under budget and on time. There have been funds left over each time that can be carried forward to cover other projects that pop up.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by Novacek

I'm not sure I like AISD spending so much on new facilities while enrollment is decreasing, but I'm inclined to vote in favor of it just to stick it to the legislature, if nothing else.

Though I think I'm voting against the county bond. Most of the money is coming from Austin and the other cities, and none of it goes to city residents.

You're right. It's a little crazy to think that a district that is shrinking overall would need new facilities. It's just that the growth pattern is weird. East Austin is shrinking in terms of kids, but SW, SE, and NE Austin are growing with kids.

Akins is overcrowded, and there are tons of houses/apartments being built in their zone. The new HS, which is not being funded with this bond, will eventually go out there. It'll be needed.

Bowie is overcrowded. Bowie was built to hold 2,400 kids and has been well above that its entire existence. AISD projects Bowie to peak around 3,100 in 2021 or so, then drop back to a steady 3,000. That's bigger than they are currently. Their reports say that Bowie has enough classroom space to make it work, but the common areas are what needs work. The band hall is not nearly big enough. Same with orchestra. The theater is in bad shape. The lunch room is way too small. Same with the athletics wing.

I wouldn't be against combining Reagan and LBJ. They are so close together, and both are under-enrolled. But the communities will be up in arms.

[wwmiv]

I went to LBJ. I'd be incredibly saddened if it were combined with our rival school, Reagan.

[eskimo33]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Maybe. I haven't seen this report. I do know that the last couple of bonds have had projects come in under budget and on time. There have been funds left over each time that can be carried forward to cover other projects that pop up.

Neither have I, (as I stated) but the next time I talk to him I will ask him where he got his information. It would do me some good to read it and draw my own opinions.

[eskimo33]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Kids play sports. It will not and should not stop. With that being said, do you think they should be placed in small locker rooms where staph infections are likely? Bowie has outdated locker rooms. The football team has 2 or 3 guys sharing a locker. Just a couple years ago, a staph infection spread through the team in the middle of the season. And that's at one of the newer high schools in the district! Only Akins is newer.

I did find a Statesman article saying that Bowie might be at risk of staph infections due to inadequate ventilation. I did not know much about staph except that it is a side effect of surgery so I looked up some information. “Staph is a common bacteria that lives on approximately 30% of the population’s skin and it’s usually spread between people through close skin contact or sharing contaminated objects such as towels or razors.” Sounds like a sanitation issue, and yes having a bigger locker room would help but so would better ventilation. So maybe they do not need three football teams, or maybe a better ventilation. Both of those would be cheaper than building a new athletics wing.

[eskimo33]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Athletic fields get worn out. They have to be replaced. If not, kids get injured. Have you ever run on a turf field with the seams all jacked up? ACL tears waiting to happen. You'd rather that happen?

I have only played on grass, so we never really had that problem with the seams.
I would not wish injury upon anyone, however that is a risk that you take when you play sports. ACL tears happen whether it is on a pro field or a high school field.

[eskimo33]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

BTW, AISD does concentrate on teaching. The latest tests show that the district is not only above average in results in Texas, but in the nation. And that's with a majority of the students being economically disadvantaged, or English is their second language.

I was not meaning to sound like I was disparaging the teachers, that was not my intent.
You are correct, AISD does score better (way better actually) than the national average, and to some extent Houston and Dallas according to the national report card. However, Dallas and Houston (according to AISD pier cities) also score better than the national average. On a side note, I have no idea how the national report card scores are made. Maybe some blend of 4th and 8th grade math and reading scores?
https://www.austinisd.org/budget
Pages 83, 94

[eskimo33]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

AISD is not the district spending $70 million on a football stadium, like in Katy.

AISD spends a greater percentage of their overall budget on athletics than pretty much any school in the DFW metro area, Houston, San Antonio, Katy (even with their giant stadium), El Paso (although just barely) and they consistently have the lowest paid teachers in Urban districts in the state.
https://www.austinisd.org/budget
FY 17 budget page 413 for athletics and page 43 for teacher salaries

[eskimo33]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

AISD spends so little on athletics compared to a lot of districts, especially those surrounding us.

I am not so sure that this is a fair comparison, all athletic programs have a fixed cost regardless of school size. To me, it would make sense that most of the surrounding school districts (which tend to be smaller) would have to spend a greater percentage of their budget just to have the facilities.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by eskimo33

AISD spends a greater percentage of their overall budget on athletics than pretty much any school in the DFW metro area, Houston, San Antonio, Katy (even with their giant stadium), El Paso (although just barely) and they consistently have the lowest paid teachers in Urban districts in the state.

This is not true. Please provide proof.

AISD coaches are some of the lowest paid. The stadiums are barely kept up. There is very little spent on athletics by AISD. To say we spend more of our budget than the DFW metro? Where sports are king? Houston and Katy, too? I don't see it. I don't know where you got your numbers. I'd like to see them.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by eskimo33

I have only played on grass, so we never really had that problem with the seams.
I would not wish injury upon anyone, however that is a risk that you take when you play sports. ACL tears happen whether it is on a pro field or a high school field.

Grass is frowned upon now in Austin because it wastes water. It can be damaged easily (i.e. mud) and takes forever to fix.

Turf fields are a greater up front cost, but save money over the life of the field. Your argument that basically "shit happens" when you play sports, is weak at best. Yes, ACLs and other injuries happen. But they don't have to happen because of neglected fields.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

This is not true. Please provide proof.

AISD coaches are some of the lowest paid. The stadiums are barely kept up. There is very little spent on athletics by AISD. To say we spend more of our budget than the DFW metro? Where sports are king? Houston and Katy, too? I don't see it. I don't know where you got your numbers. I'd like to see them.

Why not go find the numbers yourself, since your claims are also based on the same data (that neither of you have posted nor provided links to).